Chinese Scallion Pancakes + Video - Revised for 2023
Scallion pancakes was the first recipe I had in mind when I decided to start making cooking videos. The reasons were both sentimental and practical. It’s one of the first dishes my dad ever taught me how to make, and I think of him whenever I make and snack on these delicious little pancakes. It's also a simple dish, but one where it's very beneficial to see the process in video or photos before starting out. In my cookbook The Chinese Takeout Cookbook, I have a photo guide on rolling out the pancakes, but it seemed fitting to do an accompanying video as well.
I first published the scallion pancakes recipe on this site in 2009, then again in 2013, and now I’m revising in for 2023. This recipe is a more simplified version of a recipe that I first published in May 2009. But it's no less delicious. The secret to getting flaky layers is all in the folding. Just watch the video and refer to the recipe below!
Of course, there are countless Chinese restaurants where you can satisfy your cravings for scallions pancakes. They make great appetizers when the entrees happen to take longer than five minutes. They absorb the sauce of your moo shu pork like a sponge. And your vegetarian friends can eat them with abandon. But I've eaten or seen too many that are too thick, too oily, or lack the flaky layers that define Chinese scallion pancakes. Also, they aren't supposedly to be as enormous as a Frisbee. As with many other foods, scallion pancakes are really best made at home and served hot off the stove.
For the dough, all you need is flour and water. The basic ratio I use is 3 parts flour to 1 part water, but of course, there are many variables to getting the dough right. Some flours are higher in protein content, so they absorb more water. Sometimes in more humid climates you'll need a bit more flour, and in dryer climates you'll need a bit more water. However, the 3:1 ratio works well in most circumstances, so start with that and adjust if you need to.
Once you get used to rolling out the dough, these pancakes will easily become part of your reportoire. There are few ingredients, most of which are pantry staples. And once you coax the dough into little patties, they can be refrigerated or frozen for future use. The one requirement is to put your woks away; use only a flat-bottom skillet for pan-frying.
Easy Scallion Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more if necessary
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 6 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil, divided
- 6 scallions, thinly sliced or finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon chili oil or your preferred hot sauce
Instructions
- In a separate large bowl, mix together the flour and warm water until a smooth dough forms. If the dough seems sticky, as it tends to do in humid weather, add a little more flour (starting with 1 tablespoon and up to 1/4 cup total, if needed) and mix again until the dough is no longer sticky.
- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface and knead until a smooth ball forms, 2 to 3 minutes. Place the dough in a mixing bowl. Cover the dough with a barely damp towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- Flour your work surface again and roll out the rested dough into a long log. Divide the dough into 8 even pieces with a pastry scraper or butter knife. (The easiest way is to cut the log in half, then each half in half, and each quarter in half until you have 8 pieces.) Dust your rolling pin with flour. Roll one segment into a 5-inch circle.
- Have 3 tablespoons of the high heat oil in a small bowl and a pastry brush ready. Lightly brush the top of the circle with oil. Sprinkle with oiled part with salt and scallions.
- Roll up each circle into another cylinder, making sure the scallions stay in place.
- Coil the dough so that it resembles a snail.
- With a rolling pin, flatten the coil into circles about 5 inches in diameter and 1/4 inch thick. The pancakes will get a little oily from the scallions popping through the dough. Place the rolled-out pancakes on a parchment paper (or you can stack them with squares of parchment in between each pancake) and repeat with the remaining dough. Whatever you don’t cooking immediately can be frozen for future use.
- Prepare the dipping sauce: In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce and chili oil or hot sauce.
- Heat a nonstick flat-bottomed skillet or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Working in batches, pan-fry the pancakes until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. If the sides or middle puff up during the cooking, press them down with a spatula to ensure even cooking. (You may also need another tablespoon of oil between the batches.) Transfer the pancakes to a plate, cut into wedges, and serve with the dipping sauce.
